Almond shelling machine



W. F. SMITH ALMOND SHELLING MACHINE Feb. 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1947 N 4 mm.

INVENTOR w.F."5mz Zh ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1947 /7 Q 7 a m l 2 I 3 m 7 5 EIIFIATILL m 4 |NVENTOR Smizh ATTORNEYS Patented F eb. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALMOND SHELLING MACHINE Willard F. Smith, Brooks, Calif.

Application January 11, 1947, Serial No. 721,550

3 Claims.

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, an improved almond shelling machine of the type which includes a rotor turning in spaced, eccentric relation within a rotary, foraminous cylinder; the cooperative action of the rotor and cylinder on the almonds effecting the desired crackin and shelling thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an almond shelling machine, as above, including a novel adjustable mount for the foraminous shelling cylinder, whereby said cylinder may be set to run, with such selected spacing from the rotor, as workin conditions may require.

A further object ofthe'invention is-to. provide an almond shelling machine which includes a drive mechanism operative to impart like-directionbut dilierential speed to the cylinder and rotor; the rotor traveling faster than the cylin der, which facilitates the shelling operation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an almond shelling machine designed for ready access to the Working parts so as to make it easy to clean'and service the same.

A further object of the invention is to providean almond shelling machine which is practical, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a persual of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a cross section of the improved almond shelling machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of such machine- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section on line 3.--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the lever and linkage assembly employed to adjust the cylinder.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference-on the drawings, the improved almond shelling machine comprises an upstanding main frame, indicated generally at I, which frame includes rigid corner posts 2. At opposite ends of the main frame I there is provided upstanding endplates, indicated at 3 and 4, respectively, said end plates 3 and 4 being supported at one side, adjacent but short of the top, by a horizontal, longitudinally extending shaft 5 journaled adjacent opposite ends of the machine. in connection with corresponding corner posts 2. As thus mounted, the plates 3 are vertically swingably or pivotally supported for up or down adjustment about the shaft 5 as an axis.

The end plates 3 are connected together in rigid relation by opposed, longitudinally extending bafiles 6 which form, in effect, a trough 1 extending lengthwise of the machine. This trough is open at the bottom and communicates with a downwardly and laterally outwardly inclined discharge spout 8 movable with the end plates 3- as a unit.

The assembly of the endplates 3 and 4, and baflles' 6, is vertically adjustably suspended on the side opposite the shaft 5 by a pair of links 9 which pivotal-1y connect, at their lower ends,

as at It, to the end plate 3, and thence extend upwardly adjacent the corresponding corner posts 2. At their upper ends the links 9 pivotally connect, as at I'Lto a radial lever I2 fixed on a stub shaft l3 extending horizontally through said corresponding corner post. To the side of the post opposite the lever l2 the stub shaft I3 is fitted with a radial handlever I4. A nut 15 on the outer side of' the hub of the hand lever I 4 and friction washers It on the inner side are employed to normally clampingly engage the shaft l' 3' against rotation, whereby to maintain a selected position of vertical adjustment of the assembly of the end plates 3 and 4, and the trough forming baffles By loosening the nut l5 slightly, the hand lever M can be operated to effect vertical adjustment of such assembly, whereupon the nut ['5' is tightenedto lock up the parts.

A relatively large-diameter almond cracking cylinder I1 is disposed in the trough T, and extends run length thereof between the end plates 3 and 4"; the latter end plate including a removable portion l3 which provides, when removed, for ready access into the machine from said end.

The cylinder I1 is foraminous and is comprised of a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extendingbars l9 fixed, at opposite ends, to circular endrails 28. 21'] run on transversely spaced supporting rollers 2i mounted in the bottom of the trough on longitudinal shafts 22'. Between the rollers 2i the shafts 2'2 areenclos'ed in sleeves 23' formed as part of the corresponding bafiles 6'.

The described cylinder I? is held down, in its position on the supporting rollers 2|, by top or hold-down rollers 24 riding the end rails 20 and carried on spring-urged arms 25 which radiate from a longitudinal shaft 26. The arms 25 are urged downwardly by a spring 21. The

The end rails longitudinal shaft 26 is fitted with a hand lever 28 whereby the arms and the hold-down rollers may be swung upwardly to clear the rails 20, as is necessary when it is desired to remove the cylinder I! from the machine. The shaft 5 is driven from any power source (not shown), and intermediate the end plates 3 and 4 is fitted with a sprocket 29 driving an endless chain 30 which extends about, and runs in mesh with, a ring gear 31 on the cylinder ll intermediate its ends. In this way the cylinder I1 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1

A relatively small-diameter cracking rotor 32 is disposed in the cylinder 1'! in eccentric relation toward one side of the latter adjacent the bottom thereof; said rotor 32 being formed at the ends with supporting hubs 33 secured on a stub shaft 34 journaled in connection with a cross member 35 and projecting into the cylinder IT for engagement in said hubs. The shaft 34 is driven from the drive shaft 5 by an endless chain and sprocket unit 35.

While the cylinder ll and rotor 32 turn in the same directions, the drive arrangements are such that said rotor 32 travels at much greater speed than the cylinder [1.

The rotor 32 is solid faced and includes, on said face, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending ribs 37.

At the point Where the stub shaft 34 projects through the end plate 3, the latter is slotted, as at 38, whereby to permit of up-or-down adjustment of the cylinder H, by manipulation of the hand lever I4 in the manner previously described;

the rotor 32, being non-adjustable. By up or down adjustment of the cylinder ll, the working gap 39 between said cylinder and the rotor 32 may be selectively varied as working conditions may require. w

A hopper 40 at one end of the machine delivers to a chute 4| which leads through an opening 42 in end wall 3, whereby almonds can be fed into said cylinder ll when the machine is in operation. With the machine operating and almonds fed therei'nto, the latter are effectively cracked and shelled as they pass through the working gap 39' between the ribs 3! of said rotor 32 and the bars l9 of the cylinder ll. As the almonds are cracked and shelled they workbetween the bars 19 and fall into the discharge spout 8 for carry-off to a suitable receiver (not shown).

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such de-v tail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. An almond shelling machine comprising an upstanding main frame, a foraminous cylinder, a rotor of smaller diameter within the cylinder and journaled on the frame, the rotor being eccentric relative to and adjacent one side of the cylinder and spaced therefrom to form a nutfeed gap, power means to rotate the cylinder and rotor at relatively different and predetermined speeds, end plates on which the cylinder is supported for rotation, the end plates being pivoted adjacent one upper corner to the main frame, links pivoted to the lower corner of one of the end plates on the side thereof opposite the side on which such plate is pivoted to the main frame, and lever means connected to said link and operable through said link to swing the plates up and down to effect movement of the cylinder relative to the rotor to adjust the size of the gap between the two.

2. An almond shelling machine comprising a frame structure, a foraminous rotary cylinder, a relatively small diameter rotor within the cylinder in eccentric relation thereto, means mounting the cylinder and rotor on the frame structure for relative adjustment to alter the width of the space between the cylinder and rotor, and means to effect such adjustment and maintain the cylinder and drum set in any adjusted position.

3. An almond shelling machine comprising a main frame, a drive shaft journaled therein, end plates turnable on the shaft, a foraminous cylinder rotatably mounted on the plates, a relatively small diameter rotor disposed within the cylinder in eccentric relation thereto, a shaft on which the rotor is fixed, journaled in the main frame and projecting through an arcuate slot in one end plate, said slot being concentric with the shaft, the axes of the drive shaft, cylinder and rotor shaft being parallel, a chain drive connect- I ing the drive shaft and cylinder between the end plates, a similar drive connecting the drive shaft and rotor shaft outwardly of said one end plate,

and controlled means applied to the end plates to swing the same about the drive shaft.

WILLARD F. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 328,032 Hill Oct. 13, 1885 743,014 Mouck Nov. 3, 1903 752,256 Pillmore et al Feb. 16, 1904 851,757 Johnson Apr. 30, 1907 1,025,791 Donges May 7, 1912 1,264,329 Pike Apr. 30, 1918 1,330,442 Futch Feb. 10, 1920 1,762,684 Frazier June 10, 1930 2,031,810 Anderson Feb. 25, 1936 2,048,345 Lott July 21, 1936 2,108,793 Borton Feb. 22, 1938 2,109,856 Beaudry Mar. 1, 1938 2,144,185 Hamblin Jan. 17, 1939 2,324,382 Goodwin July 13, 1943 2,327,280 McCashen Aug. 17, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 229,034 Germany Nov. 30, 1910 266 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1883 774,566 France Sept. 24, 1934 

